Archive By Section - Editorials

Phil Minges came to Camden to help build the DuPont plant and worked for the company for the next 50 years. He left in 2000 after serving four years as a Camden City Council member and an additional eight years as mayor.

We have often used this space to show our support or otherwise congratulate those in our community doing everything they can to contribute to the well-being of our young people. We do so again today as we congratulate Brian Mayes of the Jackson Teen Center and Paul Napper of The ALPHA Center on obtaining an $8,000 grant from the Hootie & The Blowfish Foundation.

• It has been a busy week, as they all are, for the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office (KCSO), but they are on the job day and night with the mission of serving the people of this county and making it a safer place for residents and visitors alike. The Tuesday arrest of an Elgin couple on charges of distributing heroin may have come as a surprise to many, but heroin and other opium-based narcotics are making a big comeback, according to Sheriff Jim Matthews, because people get hooked on the prescription equivalents of the drug, which are quite expensive. When ...

Equestrian fans thrilled to watch the triumph nearly a week ago of the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years: American Pharoah. His name is now among only 12 horses to ever win the Belmont Stakes, Preakness and Kentucky Derby in one season, the first since Affirmed in 1978.

During the last year or so, we have seen a series of officer-involved shootings, some deadly, and other incidents with race playing a factor. And we've seen a variety of reactions depending on where these tragic events took place, including riots in Baltimore, Md., and Ferguson, Mo.

• We recently spent a number of weeks delving deep into the question of whether or not Kershaw County is being left behind when it comes to economic development. While 25 jobs may not seem like a lot at first blush, Suonimen's announcement a week ago to expand its Bethune operation is notable for several reasons. First, it speaks to something Kershaw County Council Chairman Julian Burns said in one of our articles: "The county needs to take care of its existing industrial customers first, even as it courts new business prospects," he said. "And the way to do that ...

Wednesday, the S.C. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill requiring governing bodies to publish agendas before public meetings. The S.C. Senate unanimously did the same the day before. As of Thursday morning, the bill was on its way to Gov. Nikki Haley's desk, and we hope she signs it.

• A big tip of the C-I hat to Camden Middle School 6th grader Amari Williams for winning the National Class II American Legion Auxiliary Essay Contest. Using the theme "What Freedom Means to My Family," Amari offered incredible insight into what freedom really should mean to every American, whatever their background. South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham was not only gracious, but absolutely correct, in our opinion, in having Amari's essay published into the Congressional Record for the Senate on May 22, just days before Memorial Day. And we cannot fail to recall when, just three years ago ...

If you've done any highway driving in South Carolina recently -- and most people have -- then you're aware of the pathetic condition of many roads throughout the Palmetto State. In numerous places, they're literally crumbling, with chunks of concrete or asphalt falling off onto the shoulders. Potholes, which are not only dangerous but also have the potential to cause expensive damage to cars, are common. Everybody agrees something needs to be done to repair the state's highway system, but the government in Columbia is as dysfunctional on this issue as Washington is on many matters.

Though the legalization of medical marijuana appears to be a dead issue in this session of the General Assembly, we hope lawmakers won't forget about it and that there will be an attempt to revive the issue next year. It is, of course, an emotional matter for many people, and there are those who believe legalizing marijuana for medical purposes will be the first wave of massive use by people who are trying to skirt the law. Both the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division and S.C. Medical Association oppose the bill, with a former president of the ...

• We hope the community will join us in cheering on five Camden Military Academy (CMA) cadets who will travel in June to the University of Maryland to enter their National History Day performance piece into competition. The play is based on events from the 1950s and '60s surrounding the Civil Rights movement in Summerton, just an hour south of Camden. It's not just a matter of grabbing a few quotes off the internet and slapping together a script. The cadets, lead by CMA Dean of Students John Heflin, extensively researched the events leading to the landmark Briggs v. Elliott ...

Ernest Kinard, who died earlier this week, was made for the law. Possessed of a keen intellect and a probing curiosity, Kinard practiced law for 24 years in Camden before being elected a circuit court judge in 1988. He remained on the bench until his retirement in 2010, and in a "keep working" program for retired judges, he continued until recently. In all his years as a judge, he never missed a day of holding court, establishing a remarkable record of consistency and longevity. Kinard mentored a number of young attorneys who practiced with him or clerked for him over ...

As we noted Monday, the Camden Planning and Zoning Commission was scheduled to hear a proposal Tuesday night for a rezoning request for the Beechwood property on Knights Hill Road, a move which could lead to a retirement community being built there which would be a tasteful and feasible addition to the Camden community. We hope the project moves forward.

• Depending on one's point of view, it may feel like years or just yesterday since the name "Beechwood" was part of a headline in this newspaper. Nine years ago, an entire movement formed to block the 65-acre Knights Hill Road property's annexation into the city limits of Camden. Later, the same group, Preserve Camden for Responsible Growth, fought against some aspects of the plans to subdivide and develop Beechwood. In 2009, Camden Community Properties (CCP) purchased the property, promising to, eventually, create a retirement village at Beechwood under Planned Development District (PDD) zoning. After six years, it appears ...